NSYNC reunite at MTV VMAs for the first time in 10 years

Boy band has not released new music in over two decades

NSYNC stunned the MTV VMAs crowd with a surprise reunion on stage.

The boy band, originally made up of Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Justin Timberlake, formed in 1995 but have not performed together since the 2013 VMAs. That year, the five singers performed their hits “Girlfriend” and “Bye Bye Bye” as Timberlake received MTV’s 2013 Video Vanguard award.

Follow live updates from the 2023 MTV VMAs here.

The members took to the stage at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Tuesday (12 September) to present the award for Best Pop.

The trophy went to Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero”. Swift was visibly ecstatic in the crowd as NSYNC appeared on stage and gushed over the boyband as she collected her award, telling them she had each of their toy dolls when she was a child.

As Swift hugged each NSYNC member in turn on stage, Bass took the opportunity to hand her multiple colourful beaded bracelets, in keeping with the tradition popular among Swift’s fans.

“What are you doing now? Are you doing something?” She asked the group. “They’re gonna do something and I need to know what it is! You’re pop personified.”

(From left) Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick of former boy band NSYNC speak onstage during the MTV Video Music Awards (AFP via Getty Images)

Last month, a source told Entertainment Tonight that NSYNC would record a song, their first new music since the 2001 album Celebrity, for the upcoming Trolls Band Together film.

The animated movie is due for release on 17 November; it is the third installment in the Trolls franchise, in which Timberlake voices the troll Branch.

The band announced a hiatus to pursue solo material back in 2002. However, after Timberlake’s career took off with his debut Justified, the band never reunited and officially called it quits in 2005.

Aside from the 2013 reunion, the band also came together in 2018 for their Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony and all the members bar Timberlake performed alongside Ariana Grande at Coachella in 2019.

In an of the Boy Meets World podcast last year, Bass responded to questions over who would replace Timberlake if the band were to tour again.

The singer said that he was sure it would be American actor, singer and songwriter Darren Criss, who is best known for playing Andrew Cunanan in American high-school drama Glee.

“He studied music and is amazing with harmonies: Darren Criss,” he said.

“He loves boy bands. He’s from that era. He would just be the perfect fit with us,” he continued.